With the likely departure of goalkeeper David de Gea when his contract expires in late June, Manchester United is pre-emptively setting up negotiations with Inter Milan's Andre Onana, according to reliable sources.
While the English club continues discussions over a new contract with De Gea, the prospect of his exit grows stronger each day. Earlier in the month, De Gea declined a profitable offer from Saudi Arabia to focus on contract discussions at Old Trafford. However, the probability of his departure from United continues to rise.
The Red Devils are reported to have proactively surveyed the goalkeeper market as discussions with De Gea persist. They have considered players like Diogo Costa from Porto and David Raya from Brentford, but Onana, who previously worked with Manchester United's current manager Erik ten Hag at Ajax, has caught their eye.
Sources have disclosed that the club has held discussions with Onana's representatives recently. Furthermore, United has also contacted Inter Milan about a possible transfer and learned that Onana would command a total transfer fee of €60m. Previously, Chelsea showed interest in Onana, but withdrew due to the hefty price tag.
Securing Onana would significantly alter United's transfer strategy this summer. The club had initially planned for De Gea to stay and were looking for a less expensive alternative to challenge him for the starting position. However, De Gea's possible exit would necessitate the club to invest in a replacement who can immediately step into the first team.
Meanwhile, Onana's agent is reportedly in Manchester, as United advances in their efforts to identify a potential replacement for De Gea. Onana's excellent performance in the past season, which saw Inter Milan finish third in Serie A, win the Coppa Italia title and reach the Champions League final, has garnered significant interest from the English club.
Renowned transfer expert Fabrizio Romano suggested that the potential deal for Onana is worth monitoring this summer. He emphasized that United have explored the conditions of the Onana deal, especially given the keeper's good rapport with manager Ten Hag. "It's also true that Manchester United have explored the conditions of the Andre Onana deal on the player side", Romano noted.
With Inter Milan's firm stance on not accepting offers less than €50 million (£43m) for Onana, the Red Devils now face the challenge of formulating a satisfactory offer to entice both the player and his current club.
